Control mechanism for outboard motors



y 7 1953 R. c. HEIDNER ET AL CONTROL MECHANISM F OR QUTBOARD MOTORS Filed May 17, 1950 s Sheets- Sheet 1 I INVENTORS E J'Ezckard ifiez'zez Herman D PdZm/I 4,444 w. W ATTORNEY v July 7, 1953 Filed May l7 1950 i 57 8a 64 Y Q 68 60 CD 70 R. c. HEIDNER ET AL CONTROL MECHANISM FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ATTORNZY Patented July 7, 1953 y I i g i:

Morons 7 Richard C. Heidner, Hartford, and Herman D. Palmer, West'Bend, Wis., assignors to .West

Bend Aluminum 00., West Bend, Wis.,

, poration of Wisconsin Application May 17, 1950, Serial No. 162,459

":This invention relates to improvements in control mechanism for-outboard motors.

' It is desirable to regulate and control the eng'ine of an outboard motor through manipulationof the handle on the tiller or steering'lever. The'itiller should be pivoted so that it may be swung from horizontal to vertical positions as desired. It is also the practice to mount the engine 'so that it has limited reciprocal vibratory motion with respect to the tiller (or the support on which the tiller is mounted) in order that thetiller .be shock mounted from the engine vibrations. Heretofore these conditions have prevented the engine frombein' satisfactorily controlled by themanipulation of the handle on the tiller; 'The pivoting of the tiller or engine torque vibration adversely affected the satisfactory control of the engine byv the tiller handle.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a controlm'echanism'for the engine of an outboard motor which is operated by the manipulation of a handle on a tiller pivotally carried on the outboard motor and shock-insulated from the engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide av control mechanism for the engine of an outboard motor which is flexible and accurate in operation, not adversely affected by the engine vibration; and comparatively easy to assemble and manufacture. V j A still further object of this invention is to provide a control mechanism for the engine of an outboard motor which may be operated both by the manipulation of a handle on a tiller and by a remote control mechanism disconnectibly associated with the tiller mounting.

"These objects are obtained by utilizing almotion transfer member which is coaxially arranged with respect to the pivotal mounting of the tiller and 'is movable longitudinally of such mounting in response to rotational movement of the handle on the tiller to effectuate the movementof the adjustable stator of the engine magneto or other" adjustable engine control. This. arrangement permits the tiller to freely pivotfrom horizontal to vertical position without changing the positioning of such motion control member as the result thereof. The motion transfer member is connected to the rotatable engine control by a,

9 Claims. (o1.115 '1s) 2 ed on the hub of the pivoted tiller and connects with the-motion transfer member so that such member may also be operated from a hand control remote from said tiller.

' The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention; are setforth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection With the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1' is a View in side elevation with parts bro ken away for the sake of clarity in illustration, illustrating a control mechanism for an outboard motor embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front perspective fragmentary view 7 of such controlimechanism; 1 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the axis of the pivotal connection of the tiller; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken I longitudinally'of the tiller;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear of the engine showing the magneto shorting con tacts; r s

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan, view-taken online66ofliig. 5; Y Fig. 7' is a fragmentary sectional view of the hub of thetiller with the remote control mechanism removed; and I Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 8-8ofFig.2., I Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken onthe line 9-9 of Fig-.- 1. Referring to the drawings by reference numerals; the outboard motor shownin Fig; 1 in its eneralfeatures is of well-known construction. It has a lower leg I0 which is rotatably supported in a swivel bracket I2 by which the outboard motor is secured to the transom of a boat. The engine [4 is carried at the upper end and has an engine cover l6 removably supported in a cover support It. Themotor and such support'are shock mounted (see rubberibushing ll, Fig.9)

with respect to each other-and have'relative' vibratory movement whereby engine shock is not transmitted to the support plate and cover.-

It iscustomary to control the speed of outboard motors of this'type by advancing or retarding the stator of the magneto and at the same time open-' ing or closing the throttle of I the carburetor. Such joint-control in the motor herein described is accomplished by the old expedient of utilizing tarding of the stator 65 by the rotation of the handle on the steering lever or tiller or by a remotely positioned control lever: It is also a characteristic of this invention that the shorting of the magneto to stop the engine may also be controlled by the rotation of. such handle.

The handle 20 is rotatably carried by a tiller or steering lever 22 which is pivoted to the support l8 so that it may be rotated about an axi substantially normal to the drive shaft of the engine. Thus the tiller may be swung from the horizontal position shown in the full line of Fig. 1 to the vertical position indicated by the dotted lines in such figure. To so pivotally mount the tiller 22, a hollow pivot tube 24 having a threaded end is rotatably mounted in a bearing 25 in the support l8 and held against axial outward displacement by lock nuts 26. The pivot tube has a slot 28 in its wall which permits the pinion 38 to enter within such tube and engage with a circular rack 60 carried therewithin. The tiller 22 has a hub 36 which is rigidly fixed on the pivot tube 24 by a set screw 32 which sets in an opening in such tube. The hub bears laterally against the support l8 and prevents axial inward displacement of tube 24. The tiller 22 has at its hub end a bearing 34 which rotatably receives one end of a control rod 36 extending longitudinally of such tiller. The pinion 38 is fixed to such control rod near bearing 34. The outer end of the hub 36 has a recess 40 which in this modification is covered by a tiller cap 42. This recess is utilized in connection with a remote control device to be hereinafter more fully described. A sleeve 44 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 46 mounted intermediate the ends of the tiller 22 and projects beyond the outer end thereof to receive and hold the rubber hand-grip 20. The outer wall of the sleeve near its end is provided with a groove 48 within which fits the end of a thrust screw 50 to retain the sleeve against longitudinal displacement within the tiller and yet permit it to rotate with respect thereto. The interior end of the sleeve has a plug 52 fixed therein into which the outer end of the control rod 36 is secured by pin 54 to prevent relative rotation therebetween. As so constructed, the rotation of the handle 20 will cause a direct and immediate rotation of the pinion 38. It is preferable to put a collar 56 on the sleeve 44 between the end of the tiller 22 and grip 2B. This collar is of sufficient breadth to inscribe thereon various indicia, such as the words Fast, Slow, Stop, and Start. The collar may be adjustable so that such indicia may be brought into proper registration with a gauging arrow on thetiller 22. Such registration aids the user in setting the motor control by the turning of the handle 20. It is also preferable to place a bend preventer 58 between the central portion of the control rod 36 and the wall of the tiller 22 to prevent the rod from flexing upwardly under the thrust pressure developed by the pinion 38 as it engages with the circular rack 60.

Rotational movement of the pinion 38 is translated into reciprocal lineal motion by its engagement with a circular rack or motion transfer member 60 mounted for longitudinal and rotational movement within the pivot tube 24. The inner end of such rack terminates in a fiat projection 62 which has an opening therein for receiving and holding the end of a control link 18. With this construction the tiller 22 may be swung to any place within the quadrant between the horizontal and verticalpositions shown in Fig. 1 and the pinion 38 will slide around the teeth of the circular rack 60 without causing any motion or adjustment of the rack 50. At any position within such quadrant the handle 29 may be rotated and the circular rack 60 will be adjusted longitudinally in accordance with such rotation.

The lineal motion of the circular rack 60 causes rotation of the adjustable magneto stator 65 by means of mechanism now to be described. As previously pointed out, the engine M has rotational tortional vibration with respect to the support l8 and provision is made in the mechanism to be described to permit such relative movement to take place without adversely affecting the adjustment of the magneto stator. To accomplish this a T-shaped control '12 is mounted by stud 74 to bracket 16 secured to the support [8. The vertical leg of such control is connected with the circular rack 60 by a link 18. When as viewed in Fig. 2, the handle 20 is rotated clockwise, the T-shaped control 12 will likewise be rotated in such direction, and vice versa. The ends of the horizontal arms of such control are connected by a flexible cable to the stator 65 so that the clockwise rotation of the T-shaped control will cause a clockwise rotation of the stator, as viewed from the top of the engine, and vice versa. The cable 80 extends around the rear of the stator 65 and rides in a groove 82 cut therein. It is held against sliding movement with respect thereto by a cable clamp 84. To effect an adjustment between the cable and the stator the screw of this clamp may be loosened and the parts slid relatively to each other. The screw when again tightened clamps the cable against further relative movement with respect to the stator. The cable passes substantially vertically upward from th ends of the horizontal arms and passesover fibre pulleys 86 and 81 and extends thence to the groove 82. These pulleys are carried so that the top thereof is substantially parallel with the groove 82 by pulley brackets 88 and 89 secured to the engine I4. Thus the pulley vibrate as a unit with such engine. However, there is substantial distance between the pulleys and the horizontal arms of the T-shaped control 12 and when the pulleys vibrate with the engine the cable 80 will permit relative movement between the pulleys and the T-shaped control without causing enough movement of the stator 65 to appreciably affect the operation of the engine. Any elongation or shortening of the distance between the points of attachment of the cable to the horizontal arms and of contact with the pulley 86 and 91, as a result of such relative movement, will be compensated for by a cable spring 90 inserted between the cable and the T-shaped control "l2. This spring is of the tension type and is sufficiently strong to transmit normal operating force without elongation and light enough to elongate when the tension increases above that needed fornormal operation because of such relative .movement. The end of the cable 80. opposite the spring 90 may be anchored to th horizontal arm by a clip 92 designed to facilitate assembly. h

In Fig. 2 the parts are shown in the positions th handle '20 is rotatedin acounter-clockwise direction as viewed'in Fig. 2 and as viewed from the left hand side of Fig. 1. This advances .the adjustable stator 65 by moving it in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the motor causing the spark to be advanced and'the throttle opened thus increasing. the speeds of =the engine. In order to slow-down?the-.enginethe handle 20 is rotated in a clockwise direction. This retards the adjustablestator .65 by moving it in a clockwise direction causing the spark to be retarded and the throttle opening :eut downithus decreasing the engine speed. .1

If the handle 20 is rotatedclockwise .to .'its extreme limit of travel the engine will be'stopped. This is accomplished by'a pair of contactsis l and 96 positioned on the perimeter-of the adjustable stator 65 and insulatedtherefrom inthe usual manner by bushings 98. These contacts are connected by circuit of the magneto so that when such contacts are interconnected the magneto: willxbe grounded and the engine stopped'because'of no ignition. To so interconnect such contacts there is fixed to the engine block a shorting contact I04 which has a pair of spaced interconnected metal fingers I06 and I08 arranged to 1 I engage the contacts 94 and 96 as the stator 65 reaches its clockwise extreme of travel. The position of such part is shown, in Fig. just be- I fore contact is made shorting the magneto.

When the engagement occurs between the fingers and the contacts the magneto will b shorted and the engine stopped. Thus the engine speed can be controlled and the engine stopped by the operation of the handle 20. This is a good safety feature particularly with high speed power fuel outboard motors as the operator usually has his hand on the handle for steering the craft.

Sometimes the vibration of engine operation will cause such stator to shift slightly varying the selected speed particularly if the handle 20 is not held. It is therefore desirabl to have a friction device for holding the adjustable magneto stator 65 in any of'its selected positions. One way of accomplishing this is to mount a leads I00 and I02 to the primary curely screwed in the end of the circular rack friction washer I3 on the stud I4 between the v bracket I6 and the control 12 and to place a spring washer I5'on such stud between the looking nut I1 and the control 12. By tightening the locking nut 11, a suitable amount of pressure may be exerted by the spring washer I5 to cause the friction washer to restrain undesirable movement of the control I2 and thus hold the magneto stator in the selected position.

As has been previously explained, the tiller hub 30 is provided with a recess 40 into which a remote control mechanism is removably fitted and connected with the circular rack 60 so that the engine may also be controlled from a part of the boat removed from the tiller 22. The remote control mechanism includes a casing plug IIO which slidably fits within the recess 40 and is held therein for relative rotational movement by a thrust set screw II2 slidable'in an annular connected with such fitting. Th fitting 'I30;h as

a stem I32 threaded into the opening 6min the end of the motion transfer member 60 The flexible control cable .may be of any desiredlength and the .outer end of the control Wlremayter: minate in a jaw I34 adapted to be secured to a manual controlmechanism of well-known design, To assemble the remote control to the outboard motor, the screw 122 is loosened sothat the casing plug IIO may be slid back on to the flexible cable and let the ball I26 -project beyond the inner end of such plug. The fitting I30 iss I32 and the ball I26 is slid laterally of. the fitting into the opening I28 to anchorthe wire I24 to such fitting. The plug IIO is then slid into the recess40 with the fitting I30 slidably received in and guided by the counter-bore I I9. ,The screw I22 is thereafter clamped to hold the sheathing in the position as shown. Relative movementbetween the sheathing I20 and the control wire I24" will slide the circular rack 60 back and forth with the same results as those heretofore explained in connection with the turning of the handle 20. The remote control mechanism may be operated in all positions of thetiller 22fa'nd may be easily removed by loosening the two screws H2 and I22 sliding the plug IIO back .to expose the fitting I30 and slipping the ball I26 out of the opening I28 to complete the disconnection. 1

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications, as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims. 7

We claim: I v 1. Control mechanism for an outboard motor having a rotatable engine control, a tiller, and a pivotal connection. between said tiller and said outboard motor whereby said tiller may be-swung in a vertical plane with respect to said motor, comprising a control handle rotatably mounted tioned coaxially with respect to said pivotal connection and movable longitudinally thereof,

groove II4 formed in the surface of such plug.

Thus the tiller 22 may swing without interfering with such plug. The outer end of the plug H0 is split at I I6 and has a bore II8 forreceiving the sheathing I20 of a flexible control cable. A screw I22 tightens such split to clamp the sheathing I20 in place. The inner end of such plug has a counter-bore H9 for slidably guiding means for imparting longitudinal motion to said transfer member upon rotation of said handle, and motion transmission means between said rotatable engine control and said motion transmission member whereby said engine control is operated upon rotation of said handle in any position of said tiller.

2. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which said motion transfer member is a circular rack.

3. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 2 in which said. means is a pinion rotatable with saidhandle and intermeshing with said circular rack.

4. Control mechanism for an outboard motor having a rotatable engine control, a tiller, and a pivotal connection between said tiller and said outboard motor whereby said tiller may be swung in a vertical plane with respect to said motor, comprising a control handle rotatably mounted on said tiller, a motion transfer member positioned coaxiallywith respect to said pivotal connection and movable longitudinally thereof,

means for imparting longitudinal motion to said transfer member upon rotation of said handle, a flexible wire and sheathing control member having the wire connected with said motion transfer member and the Sheathing connected with said tiller whereby longitudinal motion may be transmitted to said transfer member by mechanism connected to said sheathing and wire remote from said tiller, and motion transmission means between said rotatable engine control and said motion transmission member whereby said engine control is operated upon rotation of said handle in any position of said tiller.

5. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 4 in which there is a removable plug disconnectible from said tiller and secured to said sheathing and a fitting disconnectible from said motion transfer member and having a socket for receiving a holding member on said Wire, and a holding member on said wire removably held in said socket. I

6. Control mechanism for an outboard motor having a magneto stator advanceable or retardable by limited rotation thereof comprising means for imparting rotational movement to said stator including a pivoted lever operated by reciprocal movement of an arm thereof, a tiller for said motor, a hollow tubular pivot mounting said tiller to said motor, a control member rotatably and slidably mounted in said tubular pivot and having an end extending therefrom and connected with said arm, and means carried by said tiller and connected with said control member for imparting reciprocal longitudina movement thereto.

7. Control mechanism as claimed in claim 6 in which said hollow tubular pivot has a slot leadin to the interior thereof, and through which said means is operatively connected to said control member.

8. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 6 in which a friction washer and spring washer are inserted on opposite sides of said pivoted lever to frictionally restrain said lever against undesirable rotation thereof.

9. Control mechanism for an outboard motor having a lower leg adapted to be secured to a 8 boat for pivotal movement with respect thereto about a substantially vertical axis, an engine carried'by said lower leg, an engine control carried by said'engine for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, a tiller support having rotational torsional vibration with respect to said engine about a substantially vertical axis, and a tiller pivotally carried, by said support for rotation about asubstantially horizontal axis, comprising a control handlerotatably mounted on said tiller, a lever/mounted on said support and spaced vertically from'said engine control, means interconnecting said lever and said handle whereby rotation of said handle operates said lever, a sheave carried by said engine in substantial horizontal alinement with said engine control and in substantial vertical alinement with an end of said lever, and a flexible member operatively interconnecting said end of said lever and said engine control and passing over said sheave,

there being asubstantial length of said flexible member vertically disposed between saidsheave and said -.end of said lever whereby said rotational torsional vibration may take place without'undue interference of said .control mechanism.

RICHARD C. I-IEIDNER. HERMAN D. PALMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,628 Whitney Nov. 7, 

